BERLIN — Ocean Breeze Alpacas will have an open house on Saturday, Oct. 19, from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. when the farm will be open free to the public for tours, demonstrations and activities. The farm is located 10304 Caleb Road in Berlin. The rain date will be Oct. 20.
Co-owners Nancy and Susan Taylor invite the public to come meet their alpacas and visit their Breezy Barn farm store of local alpaca yarn, roving and fibers. Alpaca goods and one-of-a-kind hand knits are also available for sale in the shop, just in time for the holiday gift-giving season.
“We hope everyone can join us on Saturday when we have invited various fiber artists demonstrating knitting, spinning, rug-hooking, and weaving,” said Susan Taylor. “There will be games, activities and our popular hayride for the kids and the young at heart.”
A food truck with hot dogs and ice cream will be available.
“It promises to be a fun day on the family farm,” she said.
Although Saturday is the bigger day of festivities, the Breezy Barn farm store will also open on Sunday, Oct. 20 as usual from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m.
“Be sure to drop by and check out our many new items from Classic Alpaca, the New England Alpaca Fiber Pool, and our local consigners,” said Nancy Taylor. “These hats, scarves, socks, gloves and stuffed alpaca toys make great gift items for the up-coming holidays. You can get an early start on your holiday shopping with our one-of-a-kind local hand-knit items, or purchase some of our own alpaca yarn to start your own knitted or crocheted project.”
Nancy and Susan Taylor started their alpaca farm business with a herd of seven males purchased in southern Maryland. The next year the sisters-in-law added nine females and six more males from a local farm in Delaware.
“These cute critters each have a unique personality, and we’d love to give you a tour and introduce you to our current herd of 35 alpacas and four llamas. These numbers include one baby alpaca, aka cria, born on the farm in July,” Susan Taylor said.
Both Nancy and Susan Taylor love to knit and were excited to have their own alpaca yarn from their own animals. The farm offers various weights of yarn including bulky, worsted and fingering, plus rug yarn perfect for your next knitting or crocheting project. Roving and raw fibers are also available for spinning.
“We continue to have all-natural shades, but currently in the works we are adding colors to our fiber,” said Nancy Taylor. “We will keep you posted on the arrival of our new colorful yarns. … Also available are our popular alpaca knitting and crochet kits for one skein projects, including Ocean Breeze Alpaca yarn with an original pattern. We offer alpaca felted mats great for saddle blankets and pet beds.”